Typically, joists are used to support loads in floor construction. In basic terms, a live load is a load which is not of a permanent nature, such as snow, wind, movable concentrated loads, furniture, etc. A dead load is any permanent load, such as the weight of a floor element itself, purlin, sheathing, roofing, ceiling, etc. In a span length application, all joists will be the same height and/or depth regardless of the length that is being spanned. Typically, certain design parameters are required to ensure that the floor or other application is capable of supporting the load. In the past, builders have used only premium lumber to meet the design parameters for a project. Premium lumber may be lumber which has, for example, a high modulus of elasticity. As a result, the builders have chosen to pay premium prices for this type of lumber. However, typical floor systems may have a number of locations which do not require premium lumber characteristics to meet performance specifications.
Accordingly, a need exists for determining appropriate span length applications for each individual piece of lumber to provide a more efficient allocation of all material generated by the mill. A further need exists for conveying this information to a builder.